Rebel, Seemingly Without a Cause
by Senshi Sara
Summary: Kathryn knows nothing but the small, suburban household in which she was raised with hatred by her Aunt and Uncle. Then, on her brother's eleventh birthday, Kathryn's world is tossed upsidedown. AU!
1. The Boy Who Just Won't Die

**Rebel, Seemingly Without a Cause**

Summary: Kathryn's parents died before she was one. She grew up with her Aunt and Uncle, as well as her brother. When her brother's eleventh birthday comes around, Kathryn's world is thrown upside-down. Alternate Universe!

Prologue: The-Boy-Who-Just-Won't-Die 

Lily Evans Potter could hear the conversation downstairs between that twit Voldemort and her twit of a husband. Lily was crying, he had told her that she needed to run, but life without James? He had rudely invaded her life at age eleven, she was nineteen now, she couldn't do it without him.

She heard the fateful shout of 'Avada Kedavra!' Lily let out a noise that wasn't unlike the sound of a drowning cat. Actually, it was more of a squawk. But that was beside the point, after all. She could hear him thumping up her stairs, and Lily quickly looked back at her children.

Her first-born was Harry, the poor baby. He had some damned prophecy made about him that was bringing this all about, and all he did was look up at her with those precious eyes, her eyes. The boy looked like a carbon copy of James, but her eyes, Lily's eyes. They were vivid emerald green, pure and true green. Harry could sense her fear, seemingly, as he gazed up at her, spit gurgling in the back of his throat. Lily fought to suppress her tears.

Her eyes flickered over to a small infant, about four and a half months old. Lily closed her eyes in horror of the thought that little Kathryn would never have a single memory of just how much she was loved. She got a good look at the girl, with her red fuzz that James called hair, and her light green eyes, that held flecks of brown and hazel. Lily knew she was going to die at the moment, when he appeared in the nursery doorway. She would not, under any circumstances, let that poor excuse of a human being get anywhere close to her son.

"No, not Harry, please!" she begged, fruitless as the effort was, she felt she had to. Maybe there was a small bit of humanity left in this man, maybe she could spark it.

"Move aside, silly girl." He demanded, wand raised, voice impatient. "I only want the boy!"

"You can't have him!" Lily sobbed. "I won't let you!"

"Foolish girl, I said move aside! Take your little infant and go!" He was fed up, his wand pointed at the spot above her heart.

"NO! Not Harry!" Lily stood straight, the tears having stopped. The man's red slit eyes were narrowed more than usual, if it was possible, and he gritted his teeth. "Not my boy."

"AVADA KEDAVRA!"

Lily knew nothing more but the calming darkness that consumed her.

With a scream, Kathryn Anne Potter awoke in the dead of night. Her green eyes swept the room, blinking rapidly. She reached a shaky hand to her forehead, which (along with her hair) was damp with cold, clammy sweat. The ten year-old girl was startled by her strange dreams, always full of wands and magic and witches and wizards. She kept them to herself; of course, god knows what her Aunt Petunia would do to her if she found out. Kathryn let out a quiet giggle at the thought of the purple color her Aunt and Uncle would undoubtedly turn if she told them. It wouldn't be quite unlike the color of a plum.

With a sigh, Kathryn fell back onto her pillows, and looked around her dark room. It was littered with her cousin Dudley's old toys. She noticed a few Playstation's, and a few odd action figures. Amongst the trash were Kathryn's things, which included books, notebooks, pens and pencils, sketchpads, a music stand, her flute (which was in it's case), as well as her music folders. There were also a few odds and ends lying on the desk like jewelry and such. Kathryn rolled over onto her side and closed her eyes, willing herself to sleep. Hopefully, it would be dreamless. The odds, however, were against her.

"Kathy! Kathy!" the next thing poor Kathryn knew was her brother, Harry, violently shaking her awake.

"I'm awake!" she exclaimed, swatting his hands away. "Alright, I'm awake!"

"Sorry, Kathy." Harry grinned sheepishly. "Petunia sent me to wake you."

Kathryn groaned at the very thought of her aunt. Petunia Evans Dursley was a horrid, vile woman, the bane of Kathryn's existence. It was rather the opposite really, if you thought about it, Kathryn was the bane of Petunia's existence. At least, that was how Kathryn liked to think it. She hated the witch with every fiber and ounce of her being, remembering each and every blow the woman had dealt, physical and emotional. Kathryn gritted her teeth as she dressed, that crazy, hateful woman on her mind.

For as long as her memory stretched, Petunia Dursley's sole purpose in life had been to make Kathryn's life pure and unadulterated hell. Everyday Kathryn was told what a filthy wench she was, how ungrateful and how intolerable. She was beaten on a regular basis, and Dudley did fancy pushing her into walls more often than not. Petunia was constantly scolding Kathryn for being a stupid, senseless, incapable, useless girl. She stood over her niece's shoulder watching her every move and then she struck fast and swift like a hawk. A fiery dragon reared its head inside Kathryn's heart at the memories.

Kathryn walked down the steps to the kitchen. Her Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, and cousin Dudley were already seated. Harry was silently cooking breakfast, which smelled like bacon. She took a seat next to where Harry would sit once breakfast was done. She wasn't hungry, but when the bacon was set before her, she ate anyway. It was best to eat when she was given food, at least around the Dursley household.

"I'll get it." Harry said quietly when the post came, just like every morning. Kathryn ate her breakfast in silence, as Dudley's presents were opened. Up until several moments ago, she had almost managed to completely ignore the fact that today was Dudley's birthday. She closed her eyes when Dudley's whining began.

_Not enough presents, huh Dudley? How would you feel about not getting any presents, how about that? _Kathryn thought bitterly.

"We'll get you another one at the zoo, Dudders." Aunt Petunia cooed. "Will that make it all better?"

Kathryn sneered at her aunt's back, hate in her glare. She was thankful that she didn't need to be witness to that, thank God for Mrs. Figg. All right, maybe her house did smell like cabbage, she liked to feed her carrot sticks, and she liked to talk about her cats, but she was better than Dudley any day.

"I've got bad news, Vernon." Aunt Petunia began. "Mrs. Figg broke her leg, she can't take them."

Kathryn's aunt and uncle then proceeded to argue about what to do with the two 'freaks', as they put it. One thing Kathryn had always failed to understand was why Harry and her were hated so much in the Dursley household. Obviously, it's not everyone's dream to have two babies dropped on your doorstep, but if they hadn't wanted them, why were the Potter children still there?

"Oh good lord, they're here!" Aunt Petunia cried out as the doorbell rang. The horse-faced woman went to open the door, and seconds later Piers Polkiss, Dudley's best friend walked through the door accompanied by his mother. Kathryn never liked Piers, and it wasn't for his looks or his personality (or lack thereof).

She hated him because once, when she was five, Kathryn had run off to the park down the street to escape Dudley. He had been playing a game of "Harry Hunting" and she had accidentally interrupted. Dudley chased her down the street, Piers not far behind. Then, when her cousin caught up with her, he proceeded to push her facedown into the pavement. Kathryn still had a horrid scar that ran from her jaw down to her chest from the incident. The problem with Piers had been that he simply stood and watched the whole thing, he just stared at her with the blood all over, soaking straight through her jumper.

"Come on-- the both of you, now!" Vernon grumbled as he led them outside. "And no funny business! If so, you'll both be in the cupboard until Christmas!"

"I'm not going to do anything!" Harry protested. "Honestly, I won't."

Kathryn snorted, and Uncle Vernon threw her a nasty glare. It promptly shut her up, and she climbed into the car. Much to her displeasure, Kathryn was stuffed right in between the two people she liked least of Dudley's entire entourage, Piers and Dudley himself. The whole ride she felt squished by Dudley's immense amounts of blubber, as well as assaulted by Piers's jabbing elbow. Kathryn stared off at the sky in front of her, well, she stared off at the parts that weren't blocked by Uncle Vernon's large, pudgy head, at least.

The zoo was rather boring. Kathryn didn't pay much attention until they reached the reptile house. She always did have an affinity for lizards. Oh no, she hadn't come to see the snakes. Kathryn was content to simply gaze at the lizards, from the small ones to the large ones, she loved them. Secretly, she had always wanted a pet lizard, nothing big or anything; just a small pocket sized one. Of course, she had never thought to ask for one. It would have been pointless waste of breath, Aunt Petunia would say no in less than a heartbeat.

Suddenly, a series of screams erupted from the main section of the Reptile House. Kathryn stood and sprinted towards the noise to see a giant boa constrictor crawl right out of its exhibit! The glass had disappeared, and Dudley and Piers were gaping like fish, and Uncle Vernon looked livid. Harry was lying there on the floor, and she rushed to him. As the snake went by the two, it hissed something, but Harry nodded as if he understood.

"Harry, what happened?" Kathryn whispered hoarsely, wide-eyed in wonder.

"It-it was talking to me Kathy!" Harry said in a low, awe struck tone. "And then, the glass, it just vanished!"

Kathryn stared at her brother, eyes wide as saucers, and blinked several times in quick succession. Did he just say that a snake… _talked_ to him? Kathryn then felt someone standing above her, and looked up to see a very, very purple Uncle Vernon. His face was, as aforementioned, purple, and the veins in his forehead and necked looked about ready to jump out at her.

…

Kathryn gulped. She had a feeling that she would be locked in a cupboard with Harry, or locked in the basement by herself, for an awful long time after this.


	2. Rock On The Sea

**Rebel, Seemingly Without a Cause**

Summary: Kathryn knows nothing but the small, suburban household in which her Aunt and Uncle raised her in hatred. Then, on her brother's eleventh birthday, Kathryn's world is tossed upside-down. AU!

Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognize.

**Thanks to "Cat's Magic" for your review! You're the first reviewer, so you are automatically special. Also, I'm glad you like this so far!**

Just a request!

When you leave reviews for me I would appreciate it if you use correct spelling/grammar/punctuation to the best of your knowledge. I'm a freak, I admit it.

Now, on with the story!

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**Chapter One: Rock-On-T****he-Sea**

Kathryn spent the next few days locked in the basement. Aunt Petunia never brought her any food, but she made due. Maybe somewhere along the line she'd feel lucky for this (when she wasn't a fat tub of lard, possibly). The basement wasn't bad; it was actually sort of comfortable. It had a bathroom, a nice cot, it was spacious, and on top of all that, sometimes Harry could send her food down the laundry chute. On the downside, it was dark, dreary, damp, and smelled like moldy cheese.

Kathryn, at that particular moment, was standing in front of the mirror, looking at herself in the dim light. She wondered why Aunt Petunia hated her so much. She wasn't ugly, so that couldn't be it. Kathryn has pretty, curly auburn hair that reached her shoulder blades. She absentmindedly tugged on one of her curls at this thought. She moved her hand to her chin, critiquing her pale skin tone and her nose that appeared too small for her face. Sighing, she looked straight into the eyes of the girl in the mirror. Her eyes were a dark, dusky green. Harry had told her that her eyes used to be brighter, just like his. She hadn't believed him.

"Girl!" shouted the voice of Aunt Petunia down the stairwell. "Upstairs, now!"

Kathryn bit her lower lip in frustration with her aunt, and reluctantly headed upstairs at her request. She ran upstairs to a frightening sight: the entire entrance way and what she could see of the living room was covered in envelopes! She picked one up of the ground; it was addressed to a "Mister H. Potter" of the "Cupboard Under the Stairs, Number Three Privet Drive". Kathryn gasped, how had they known Harry lived in the cupboard?

"Go upstairs and pack your things, girl." Aunt Petunia hissed at her. "We're leaving for a while."

"So why do I have to go?" Kathryn retorted. "You always left me here before."

"I said _go!_" Aunt Petunia repeated viciously, slapping Kathryn across the face. "Do what you are told!"

Without tears in her eyes, Kathryn walked dejectedly up the stairs to her room. You would think that by now she would have learned to 'do as she was told,' but no. Harry was the good one, the one who did what was expected of him silently. Kathryn, on the other hand, was considered the wild, senseless child. Of course, Dudley was perfect in the eyes of Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon. Kathryn scoffed at the very idea of Dudley being perfect, and snorted as she thought of it.

She entered her room, unsure of what to take with her. Tucking a lock of hair behind her ear, Kathryn grabbed a new notebook and a few pens. These were all she needed. Being locked in the basement had been torture not for lack of food or water, but because she hadn't been allowed any paper, pencils, pens, or anything. Kathryn was a born writer; it was her _thing_, and the thing no one could take from her.

"Hurry up!" shouted the impatient voice of Petunia Dursley. "We're leaving _now_!"

Kathryn ran down the steps, notebook and pens in hand. Her aunt gave her a nasty look, like how you look at something gross that's attached itself to the bottom of your shoe. _What is so wrong with me?_ Kathryn wondered with sorrow burrowing in her heart. She just didn't understand! The only conclusion she had ever come to was that she must be bad, but how she did not know. Aunt Petunia always had this deep-set hatred for her, ever since she could remember and probably before that too.

Dudley, Harry, and Kathryn were all stuffed in the back of the van as Uncle Vernon pulled out of the drive. The whole way to wherever they were going Dudley whined about being next to Kathryn and Harry.

"Mummy!" Dudley complained. "I don't wanna be next to these freaks!"

"Shush, Dudders." Petunia scolded. "Daddy wants it quiet."

She was quite right about that, Uncle Vernon had seemingly gone mad, thrown right off his trolley. He had been that purple color ever since Kathryn had seen him that day, so she knew something was seriously wrong. Kathryn knew something was very seriously wrong though, when they had been driving for much longer than even, even to London! She tried to peek around Dudley to see the scenery, but he was too fat, so she looked past Harry. They were at the coast. Kathryn gasped as they pulled into a parking lot next to the sea, where the waves were crashing into the sharp jagged rocks that were everywhere.

Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon hoarded the three children out of the car and they rented a boat. Kathryn trembled, a boat in this weather? Kathryn and the others all gathered in the boat and they set off. The destination was apparently a little rock that they called an island and stuck a house on it. She had no idea why they were doing any of this; she was completely in the dark about the whole thing. Kathryn decided she would ask Harry when they got settled in.

Linebreak!

Later that night, Kathryn was lying on the lumpy couch in the only room on the ground floor. Harry was sitting on the floor, drawing pictures in the dirt (or was it dust?) that was on the floor.

"Harry?" she asked quietly. He looked up at her through his round glasses. He made a 'hmmm' sound, signaling for her to ask her question. "Why are we here? What's the matter with Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon?"

"Oh gosh, it's a long story Kathy." Harry sighed. "Those letters, did you see them? They were the problem. Aunt Petunia told Uncle Vernon that they were from some people and he turned purple and started mumbling and he burned my letter! Then, there came another and another, they just kept coming! It drove him crazy."

"What do you think was in those letters?" She inquired curiously.

"I have no idea." Harry replied, and went back to the dust on the floor. (She had concluded it was dust when some had settled in her nose a few seconds earlier.) Kathryn then noticed that Harry was drawing a birthday cake when all of a sudden her watch hit midnight, and began making annoying beeping sounds. As she was trying to disable the alarm, Harry blew out the 'candles', spreading dust everywhere. Everywhere included right into Kathryn's face and up her nasal passage. She erupted in a fit of sneezes.

Suddenly, the door flew open (well, more like it was knocked down) with a loud thump. Kathryn and Harry both looked up, startled. Where the door once was, stood a large, burly man with an unruly black beard. All three of the Dursley's romped down the stairs, Uncle Vernon holding a shotgun in his hands.

"You're trespassing!" Uncle Vernon proclaimed, pointing the barrel of the gun at the man. He grunted, and bent the barrel of the gun upwards.

"Dursley, yeh' great prune." Kathryn wasn't sure what he had said exactly, his beard was muffling his words. He said he was looking for Harry, and mistaked Dudley for Harry. _Really_, Kathryn thought. _What a stupid mistake._ With all the conversation going around her, Kathryn soon lost interest. That is, until the incredible happened.

"Harry, yer' a wizard." The man, who called himself Hagrid, announced.

"I'm a what?" Harry exclaimed, eyes wide in surprise. Kathryn's head turned sharply to stare at her brother, and then her eyes traveled to Hagrid, green eyes locking with muddy brown.

"And you, Kathryn, I know yer' a brilliant witch like yer' Mum." He commented, and a smile graced Kathryn's pale face. She couldn't believe it, a witch, a girl like her? When she got home she couldn't wait to tell her best friend, May Journey. She could only imagine what May would say about all that was happening! Suddenly, shouts from Aunt Petunia tugged Kathryn's thoughts elsewhere.

"Of course I knew!" Aunt Petunia scoffed. "How could I not? When she got that letter from that – that _school_, only I knew that it made her a freak! Mum and Dad were so proud to have a little witch in the family! I knew her for what she was – disgusting, a freak, a shame on the family! She'd come home every summer with her pockets full of frogspawn and turning rats into teacups! And then she met that horrid Potter boy! When we took them in we swore to stamp the magic right out of them!"

Kathryn could feel the familiar tingle of anger swelling in her heart. She called it her fire dragon, and it was rearing its head at that particular moment.

"How dare you!" Kathryn shouted, her teeth clenched. "How dare you do such a thing! You lied to me all these years; don't you have a conscious at all? You kept this from me, my heritage: my only right! This would be the only thing I've ever wanted and thought I knew! THIS WAS NOT YOUR CHOICE! You were so content to live life like they never existed with your pigs that you call your husband and son, but we ruined it, didn't we Aunt Petunia? So you thought maybe you could just make this whole 'magic' thing go away, eh? You disgust me."

Kathryn said those last few words with utter contempt, like they were venom on her tongue. Her eyes were narrowed.

"Be quiet!" her aunt hissed, grabbing her shoulder tightly. Kathryn bit her tongue to keep quiet. She knew now was not the time to speak.

"He's not going!" Uncle Vernon proclaimed. "I'm not going to pay for some crackpot old fool to teach him magic tricks!"

"Never insult Albus Dumbledore in front of me!" The man, Hagrid, brandished his umbrella and pointed it a Dudley, who suddenly grew a pig's tail! Kathryn gasped and turned to gape at her cousin, and Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon began to fuss about the poor boy. Kathryn looked back to see Harry and that Hagrid man walk out the door. Kathryn's dragon burned inside once again at the thought of her brother's betrayal. He was leaving her here with _them_, the horrible Dursleys.

Well, on the bright side, at least she still had a few weeks of summer left to go. May and Kathryn would have plenty of time to relax before school started up once again. On the downside, who knew where Harry was going… and Kathryn would have to travel on the stupid little boat again in the storm.

Days like these made poor Kathryn Potter abso-bloody-lutely furious.

Kathryn could have sworn she growled.


	3. Jesus of Suburbia

**Rebel, Seemingly Without a Cause**

Summary: Kathryn's parents died when she was one. All she knows is the suburban family of her aunt, uncle, cousin, and brother in which she was raised with hate. On her brother's eleventh birthday, however, Kathryn's life is tossed upside-down.

Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognize!

**Rock. On. Rock. Out.: Thanks!**

Chapter Two: Jesus of Suburbia 

"_Everyone's so full of shit,_

_Born and raised by hypocrites_

_Hearts recycled but never saved_

_From the cradle to the grave…_

_We are the kids of war and peace,_

_From Anaheim to the Middle East_

_We are the stories and disciples of_

_The Jesus of Suburbia…"_

_-"Jesus of Suburbia" Greenday_

Kathryn Potter awoke the next morning in a state of confusion. The last thing she remembered was being in the basement…

That was when it hit her all over again.

Flashes of yesterday flew before her eyes, which stared off into space with a blank look to them. She suddenly remembered the most striking moment of it all: she was a witch! With a new fervor, Kathryn shot out of bed and was dressed in what seemed like .05 seconds flat. Obviously, it was a lot longer though.

She glanced at her outfit in the mirror to check and make sure she didn't look horrid, of course. She wore a pair of light, denim acid-wash jeans, a small black tee shirt that read "Remember the Alamo!" (she borrowed it from May last month and never gave it back). On her feet were a pair of camouflage Chuck Taylor's that were scribbled all over. Running a brush quickly through her annoying curls, she rushed out the her door, down the steps, and across the street and one to the left.

The house was no different than any of the others, really. It was the typical beige, two story house with brown dormers that you saw next door and next door to next door and so on and so forth. But for Kathryn this house was different from them all because it simply was the _best_. Kathryn knocked on the door and was thrown backwards when a flushed May Journey flung herself at her best friend.

"Where have you been?" May demanded angrily. "I haven't seen you in a while, I was getting worried!"

"You will not believe what happened!" Kathryn exclaimed, pushing her way into the house to sit on the couch. May followed like a puppy, wide-eyed and ears perked. "So Harry hears this snake talking to him at the zoo, right? Well, _I_ get locked in the basement for Harry's mistakes, of course. A couple days later, Aunt Petunia pulls me up and I'm told we're going away for a while. There are envelopes, all unopened, everywhere! So we drive out to the coast, and get on this rickety little boat out to some rock they decided to put a house on. It's midnight and Harry's turning eleven and this _huge_ man comes knocking down the door looking for Harry! Then -- get this May, the guy says Harry's a wizard and I'm a _witch_! Uncle Vernon puts up this fight against Harry attending this school with a funny name – something about pigs or summat, and Aunt Petunia throws this hissy fit about my Mum. This man, Hagrid, then proceeds to drag Harry off to nowhere."

"Finally!" May said exasperatedly. "It's about time! I remember when we first moved here and I told Mari that we lived across the road (and to the left) from Harry Potter and she wouldn't believe me!"

"I don't get it." Kathryn interjected, perplexed. "Are you saying that you're a witch as well? But what has that got to do with Mari and Harry?"

"Didn't they tell you?" May looked appalled. "Harry is famous! He defeated the dark wizard You-Know-Who as a baby! Nobody had ever faced him and lived to tell the tale, never the less survive the Killing Curse!"

Kathryn stared at her friend, and she was speechless. Her brother, Harry Potter, was _famous_? He had defeated an evil dark wizard as a baby and survived a killing curse? That's a lot to put on your resume, she thought with a lopsided grin forming on her face.

"Are you bloody serious?" she asked, unbelievingly.

"Of course!" cried an indignant May. "Why would I lie about something like that!"

With that comment, this time it was Kathryn who flung herself at her friend. Soon, that started a fit of girlish laughter. You could hear them miles away, or at least that's what they were told, by May's sister Marianna.

LineBreak

Kathryn sat on the Dursley's porch, her legs swinging freely. May sat beside her, carelessly smoking a cigarette as people walked by. You'd get the wrong impression of this little neighborhood in Little Whinging if you judged by the lawns and houses. What was really going on wasn't all groomed grass and perfect families.

Down the street Kathryn could see a few boys in the alley between Magnolia Crescent and Privet Drive who were negating with two rare black guys, flashing bundles of money. Next door she could see Hailey Polkiss and Brett Harlan doing it on the couch since her parents were away. Piers was upstairs smoking what smelled like pot in Hailey's room. Across the road girls were applying their thick red lipstick, heavy eyeliner, and adjusting their breasts in their shirts. She knew they were heading to the city for the weekend for 'a little fun.' More like they were going out to hang at the 21 and Overs, snort some coke, and get some action.

Yeah, never judge a book by it's cover. Kathryn knew what really went on in Little Whinging, even if the adults didn't. Laughing at it all, she turned to May.

"Can I have one of those?" Kathryn asked, referring to the fag she was smoking. May proceeded to dig around in her pockets and fished out a pack, handing it over to her with a light.

With the cigarette hanging out of her mouth loosely, Kathryn lit in and inhaled. A strange feeling of calm set over her, one that she thoroughly enjoyed. It took her concentration away from those teenage hookers, the drug addicts, and the raging hormones of her neighbors. Kathryn just couldn't see what was so appetizing about the opposite sex. Boys were great as friends, but she sure wouldn't like to do anything with the kids she grew up with, who happened to enjoy farting and belching contests, as well as picking their noses. She knew the secret life of males, and it turned her off pretty quickly.

"Oh shit!" May exclaimed, glancing down at her watch. "Mari is going to be home any second now!"

May jumped off the porch, and ran to her back yard, dragging Kathryn all the way. The two girls ran through the Journey's back lawn and snuck in the back door just as Marianna "Mari" Journey, May's seventeen year-old sister pulled into the driveway with her car.

"Oi!" Mari shouted, opening the door. "Where are you guys?"

"In the kitchen!" Kathryn replied, walking into the living room. "Hey Mari."

Mari grinned at her sister's friend, Kathryn looked up to the older girl like the sister (or mother, whichever you prefer) that she never had.

"I love your hair!" Kathryn squealed, looking at Mari's now bright purple hair.

"We could do yours… except not the same color." Mari suggested, grasping Kathryn's chin and forcing it upwards, critiquing her skin tone. "How about blue?"

"Come on May!" Kathryn shouted as Mari and she went up the steps. "We're dying my hair blue!"

May's head popped around the corner of the door, an amused looked on her face.

"Can you do mine green?" She asked excitedly, and took Mari's sigh as a yes.

A while later, Kathryn sat on Mari's bead, her head burning from the peroxide. She winced and tried to stay still, her eyes tearing.

"Is it supposed to hurt this bad?" Kathryn inquired to Mari as she walked over to May, who was just lightening her hair before the green could go on.

"Yeah babe, that's normal." Mari explained. "Just feel glad you don't have to lighten your hair first, like May and I do. Damn our black hair!"

Kathryn nodded in agreement as she stared as May's hair. It was covered it a pale gloop that made her beautiful dark hair seem strange and unfamiliar. The smell was killing their noses, for it was potent and strong, burning like fire as it did on their scalps.

Kathryn's mind wandered off as she waited. She thought about Harry, much to her dismay. She couldn't help but wonder… where was he now? What was he doing? Where was he staying? Was he still with that Hagrid man? Before long, Mari was poking her to put her head in the tub, and she did. Kathryn wondered if her brother was thinking about her as well…

Linebreak

"Kathryn Anne Potter!" Aunt Petunia shouted at her niece. "What have you done to your hair?"

Kathryn looked up at her aunt defiantly, her new hair color making her more confident than she had ever felt in her life. It's strange, isn't it, that something like hair color can do that to a person?

"I dyed it." Kathryn replied nonchalantly, shrugging it off and trying to push past her aunt. Petunia, however, had other ideas in mind.

"I will not have _anyone_ in my home with hair so ridiculous!" Her Aunt proclaimed, causing Kathryn's eyebrows to shoot up to her hairline.

"What, you think I like living here?" Kathryn accidentally let the words slip in her anger.

"How dare you, you ungrateful little wench!" Aunt Petunia screamed, backhanding Kathryn will all the might her skinny body could muster. The strength of the blow threw Kathryn to the ground. "We give you a roof under which you can live, food, a room, clothes, water… we support you! How dare you!"

With that, Petunia turned on her heel and walked away. The glare she gave Kathryn on her way told her that she had better get herself upstairs –now, before Vernon was sent after her. She scrambled to her feet and raced up the stairs. Once safely inside her room, the leaned against it, collapsing to floor. It was then that she felt the throbbing stinging of her cheek. She knew it was bright red, and more than probably she would have a bruise there tomorrow.

Thank god school started in less than a week, or she'd swear that she would bury the bullet from a Derringer or .45 in her brain to stop the insanity. But then, if she did that, who on earth would torture the Dursleys? That was her job, after all, her favorite part of existence… even if it did mean beatings and torture and pain. The look of anger on Aunt Petunia's face was always worth it. Well, most of the time…

With nothing better to do, Kathryn lay there on her bed for what seemed like hours, just staring up at the ceiling. Admittedly, there wasn't a whole lot to view up there, but it was better than any of her other options. Kathryn fell asleep hours later, her head empty and a bruise formed on her cheek.

She awoke to the sound of Dudley going down the steps, sounding like a thundering stampede of elephants. Kathryn groaned, rolling around and covering her head with her coverless pillow. She knew any minute know those damn Dursley's would be waking her up anyway…

However, the shouts never came. A sense of unease grew in the pit of Kathryn's stomach until she shot up out of bed and ran downstairs. Much to her surprise, she realized that no one was home. On the refrigerator was a note that simply read:

_Gone to get Dudley's school supplies. No funny business! Do not leave the house._

_-Vernon & Petunia_

Sighing, Kathryn looked around the empty house. She had never been left alone before when she wasn't locked away in her room or the basement. It was an odd, yet liberating feeling to her. Grinning, she knew that no one would know if she stayed or went, as long as she was back before her family got back. Of course, to avoid breaking the rules she could always invite May over. The note hadn't said anything of the sort about _that_. Kathryn was about to pick up the phone when she realized she was still in her underwear.

"Getting dressed might be a good idea…" she muttered to herself, going upstairs once again. She threw on the same pair of jeans she had worn yesterday and some random tee shirt that was too big for her. She then proceeded to ring up May.

"What do you want?" May's voice rang out the other end of the receiver, rudely.

"Hey May, it's just me. You wanna come over?" Kathryn asked, frowning at the way her friend answered the phone, to everyone.

"Yeah, sure. I'll be over in a nanosecond." May replied, and clicked off.

"Well I'm glad she knows her proper phone etiquette." Kathryn mumbled, putting the phone back onto the receiver.


End file.
